Traction operated rotary dry shaver



Sept 17, 1957 E. BoBKowlcz TRACTION OPERATED ROTARY DRY SHAVER Filed sept. 2s. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet ATTORNEY E. BOBKOWICZ TRACTION OPERATED ROTARY DRY SHAVER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept 17, 1957 Filed sept.- 2s, 1954 ATTORNEY United States Patent() TRACTION OPERATED ROTARY DRY SHAVER Emilian Bobkowicz, Westmount, Quebec, Canada Application September 23, 1954, Serial No. 457,978

13 Claims. (Cl. 30-43) The present invention relates to dry shavers.

Electrically operated dry Shavers have become the vogue. These devices employ a housing used as a handle which can ybe bedded in the hand with the cutting head protruding beyond the finger tips. The housing mounts a small guard screen which is placed against the skin surface and shearing mechanism works behind the screen and is driven by an electric motor through a transmission all contained in the housing.

Dry Shavers operated by traction are also known. These are usually cumbersome and are not enough alike to the electric dry shaver to catch the fancy of the potential purchaser. Further, they cannot be manipulated like the electric shaver.

The present invention provides a traction-operated device which can be used in a similar manner to an electric dry shaver.

A dry shaver according to the present invention includes a housing used as a handle. The housing is preferably of substantially cylindrical over-all shape having dimensions making it possible to fit easily into the palm of the hand with substantially at side faces for gripping between the fingers and thumb. The outer rim or peripheral face is provided with an opening covered by a curved guard screen. Inside the housing shearing means are mounted to act in co-operation with the screen. The housing also carried drive means for moving the shearing means in shearing movement relative to the screen. A traction member having a continuous cylindrical surface'is mounted in the housing so that a portion of its surface projects radially beyond the screen but Ais laterally near to it so that when the screen is moved over the skin in shaving movements, the traction member also contacts the skin and is thus rotated. l

Geared up transmission means are provided in the housing linking the traction member and the shaving means so that the rotary movement of the traction member, caused by relative shaving movement of the screen over the skin, causes relative multiplied rotary movement of the shearing means beneath the screen. This arrangement provides the advantages of the electric. dry shaver in having a relatively small screen adapted "to press against a local area of the skin to be shaved and the advantages of a traction operated device needing no supply of electricity.

ln accordance with a preferred construction the device also includes the following features. The casing is preferably made in the form of complementary shell parts having mating projections and indentations and internal registering depressions forming recesses or chambers for guiding and supportingl the working mechanism of the device.

Preferably, the driving traction member is supported and guided in an annular groove provided in the mating parts of the casing. The rotational movement is transmitted to a plurality of cutting blades mounted for rotation beneath the screen by the provision of internal gear teeth on `the traction member which are in meshed en- 2,806,281 Patented Sept. 17, 1957 ice . 2 gagement with a driving pinion in the manner of a planetary gear. In the preferred construction, the screen is provided with two spaced apart skin engaging portions with van opening provided between the screen portions 5 to accommodate the traction member.

The present application is a continuation 'in part of United States Patent 2,690,008, issued September 28, 1954, entitled Automatic Razor.

Having thus .generally described the nature of the invention, particular reference will be made to the accompanying drawings illustrating by way of example, a preferred construction of an improved dry shaving razor in accordance with the invention, and in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic view in perspective eleva'- tion of a friction dry razor in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the construction shown in Figure 1. 1

Figure 3 is an exploded view of the various components making up the razor construction shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the construction shown in Figure 2 along the line 4-4.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of the construction shown in Figure 2 along line 5 5.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view through the approximate centre of the construction shown in Figure l to illustrate the preferred means of interlocking and holding together the outside facing.

Figure 7 is an enlarged diagrammatic view of the upper portion of one side of the construction shown in Figure 1 to illustrate more clearly the relative position of one of the cutting blade arrangements with the perforated screen or comb.

A Casing With particular reference to Figures l and 2, the preferred construction illustrated includes an outer casing 10 made up of two interconnected parts 12 and 14.

Preferably, the parts 12 and 14 are made of a suitable moulded plastic, for example, nylon. The interior of each part is provided with suitable recesses and cavities to house and support the various working elements', as will be described.

The parts 12 and 14 are held together by screws 16, 16a which respectively pass through from one part to the other to threadably engage in the corresponding part. The screws are accommodated in cylindrical bosses or projections 20, 20a, 22, 22a which have their meeting ends provided with mating recesses and projections to ensure their alignment.

Traction member The exploded view of Figure 3 shows the working elements. They include a main traction member or driving gear 30 with inner teeth 32 to engage a planetary pinion and outer serrations or treads 34 which serve as skin engaging traction members when the device is in use. The gear 30 is adapted to t within a recess 36 provided in the meeting casing parts 13 and 14 and is arranged so 6 that a segment protrudes above the surface of the casing as indicated at 38, exposingthe treads for engaging the skin. Accordingly, in the preferred construct-ion the member 30 rotates about an axis offset from the central axis of the casing. Screen To complete the outer casing there is provided a pair of perforated guards or screens 40. ln the construction illustrated these screens are formed of a single plate having a central opening to accommodate the traction member 30.

The screen plate 41 is mounted o'n a supporting bridge 50, and is retained in position by the engagement of Drive The bridge 50 also serves as a supporting frameV for a driving pinion 60 which is placed in meshed engagement with the internal teeth 32 of the traction member 30, soV as to transmit the drive to the cutting elements of the device.

The pinion 60 is provided with stub shafts 62 which are retained for rotation in the slot 64 provided in the central portion 66 of the bridge 50. The central portion 66 ofthe bridge 50 is also recessed centrally as at 68 to provide clearance for the passage of the traction member 30;

The drive from the traction member 30 through the pinion 60 is transmitted to the pinion 73 on the shaft 70 upon which the cutting elements 80, 82 are mounted.

Drive support structure The shaft 70 is supported for rotation on a resiliently biased standard 84 by engagement of portions 72 extending beyond the pinion 73 and being journalled between the slotted ends 86 of the member 84. The topportion of the member 84 is recessed internally at each side of the slot 86 to provide a clearance for the teethV of the pinion 73 with the top of the slot 86 and being open to allow the teeth of the pinion 73 recess to meet in meshed engagement with the pinion 60.

The member 84 also includes a bottom portion 85 from which there extends curvate leaf spring portions 88. The spring portions 88 illustrated are integral portions or extensions of the member 84.

In the preferred embodiment shown the member 84 is moulded from a suitable plastic material, for example, nylon.` So, the spring portions 88 are shown as integral members. But, the spring portions 88 can be seperate resilient members, for example of resilient metal, and retained in slots provided in the member 84.

VThe lower end of the member 84 is provided with a slotted portion 90. When the member 84 is in position in the casing parts 12 and 14, an eccentric 92 serves as an adjusting cam ts within the slot 90. By rotation of the slotted shaft ends 93, the member 84 can be raised or lowered relative to the interior of the casing to vary the pressure applied to the cutting elements 80, 82. The difference in pressure applied will vary the resilient contact of the cutting blades 81, 83 against the lower surfaces of the perforated screen 40.

A cavity 95 is provided in the interior of the casing parts 12, 14 to receive the member 84. The cavity 95 is provided with shoulder portions 96 against which the outer ends of the spring elements 88 bear to give the member 84 the desired resilient action. A further recess 99 in the casing halves 12 and 14 provides a guiding channel for the lower end of the member 84 containing the slot90 The outer ends of the shaft 93 of the adjusting cam 92 are accommodated in further cylindrical recesses 100, 102 provided in the interior of the casing parts 21, 14. Blade contact adjustment is made by rotation of the cam 92 prior to the complete assembly of the casing halves.

Cutting elements In the preferred construction illustrated, the cutting elements 80, 82, comprise an outer annular ring 104, preferably of hardened steel with an inner section 106 of plastic material, for example, nylon. The cutting element 82 is of similar construction with an outer steel member 105 mounted on an inner circular member 107 also of plastic material. The members 107, 106 are provided with central openings of square section to mate with the ends of the gear shaft 70 to ensure rotation of the cutting elements with the member 70.

As is shown more clearly in Figure 7, the annular outer rings 104, of the cutting elements are provided with a plurality of equally spaced apart cutting teeth 111, 112 which are shaped so that the cutting elements are substantially self-sharpening in operation.

The shaver of the invention is designed so that the various elements can be quickly and easily assembled with the minimum of difculty and without special tools.

The simple construction also allows the device to be easily taken apart for cleaning.

By making most of the parts in mouldable material, preferably plastic, for example, nylon, metal to metal contacts are avoided. So, no special bearings are required to guide the travel of the traction drive member nor the gears during their rotation.

I claim:

' l. A shaver of the type including a housing constituting a handle, a curved guard screen mounted on the housing for contact with an area of the skin, shearing means in the housing and coacting with the screen to shear whiskers projecting through it and drive means for moving the shearing means in shearing movements relative to the screen, the housing having an annular cylindrical wall including an opening accommodating said screen whereby said screen forms a continuation of said wall, the inner side of said wall being provided with an arcuate groove serving as a guide channel having an arc cutting the arc of the screen, a traction member including an internal gear and carrying traction means on its outer periphery mounted to ride in said guide channel and to project beyond said screen for engagement with the skin in the vicinity of the screen, and transmission means between said traction member and said drive means whereby rotation of said traction member by contact with the skin on shaving movements of the screen over the skin drives said shearing means.

2. A shaver of the type including a housing constituting a handle, a curved guard screen mounted on the housing for contact with an area of the skin, shearing means in the housing and coacting with the screen to shear whiskers projecting through it, and drive means for moving the shearing means in shearing movements relative to the screen, the housing having an annular cylindrical wall including an opening accommodating said screen whereby said screen forms a continuation of said wall, the inner side of said wall being provided with an arcuate groove serving as a guide channel having an arc non-concentric with the screen, a traction member including an internal gear and having a tread on its outer periphery mounted to ride in said guide channel and to project beyond said screen for engagement with the skin in the vicinity of the screen, said shearing means including a shearing wheel journalled Within the casing with a portion of its periphery adjacent the screen, said shearing wheel having on its periphery blade means, and transmission means between said internal gear and said drive means whereby frictional contact between the traction member and the skin on relative movement between the housing and the skin drives the shearing wheel.

3. A shaver according to claim 2, in which the shearing wheel is journalled on a shaft supported within the casing in 'axial alignment beneath said screen, and there is a pinion'gear on said shaft constituting said drive means and said transmission means comprises an intermediate gear between the traction member gear and said pinion gear whereby rotation of the traction member internal gear rotates said shaft.

4. A dry shaver of the type including a housing for gripping between the iingers, a curved guard screen mounted on the housing for contact with an area of the skin, shearing means in the housing coacting with the screen to shear whiskers projecting through it, and drive means for moving the shearing means in shearing movements relative to the screen, a traction member having a continuous asomar cylindrical surface, the traction member being mounted in the housing whereby a portion of its surface projects beyond the screen adjacent thereto thereby to be in a position also to contact the skin in the vicinity of said area, and gearedup transmission means between said traction member and said drive means whereby movement of the traction member caused by relative movement between the housing and the skin causes accelerated movement of the shearing means beneath said screen, said screen having two parts, one at each side of the casing Wall and spaced apart to provide a gap therebetween, said trac-tion member projecting from said gap.

5. A traction actuated shaver according to claim 4, in which said housing has a Wall provided with an opening therein to accommodate said screen, a bridge in said opening having a pair of end plates mounted on the housing, arcuate outside spans extending between end plates, and a pair of inside plates extending between the end plates and having arcuate edge faces parallel to the surfaces of the spans, the screen being mounted with each part extending between a span and a plate, said traction member running between said inside plates and projecting between the par-ts of said screen.

6. A shaver according to claim 5, in which the plates are slotted from the peripheral surface inwards to provide slots to receive the ends of a stub shaft.

7. A shaver of the type including a housing constituting a handle, a curved guard screen mounted on the housing for contact with an area of the skin, shearing means in the housing and coacting with the screen to shear whiskers projecting through it and drive means for moving the shearing means in shearing movements relative to the screen, the housing comprising a pair of mating shells of generally cylindrical outline, each shell having inwardly extending projections and indentations therein to engage mating projections and indentations on the other shell, the peripheral surface of each shell being provided with an opening adapted to leave space for the screen, a bridge in said opening mounted on the housing and said screen mounted on the bridge, a traction wheel member mounted in the casing and projecting beyond said screen closely adjacent thereto, and transmission means between the traction member and the drive means whereby frictional Contact of the traction member with the skin on relative shaving movements between the screen and the skin causes shearing movements of the shearing means.

8. A shaver as claimed in claim 7, in which the shells are formed to provide therebetween on their inner walls an arcuate channel and said traction member is an internal gear riding in said channel.

9. A shaver of the type including a housing constituting a handle vbetween the lingers, a curved guard screen mounted on the housing for contact with an area of the skin, shearing means in the housing .and coacting with the screen to shear whiskers projecting through it and drive means including a traction member for moving the shearing means in shearing movements relative to the screen, said housing being of substantially over-all cylindrical conformation and having .a cylindrical wall and substantially circular side walls and projections therefrom forming projections and indentations accommodating the mechanism of the device, said annular wall being provided internally with a groove and said traction member being an internal gear running in said groove, said shearing means including a shearing wheel mounted in operative relationship to said screen, 'a support carrying Ia stub shaft on which the shearing wheel is mounted, means on said housing for limiting the lateral movement of the support, the support being free for movement to and from the direction of the screen, spring means normally urging the support in the direction of the screen, adjustable cam means acting on the support to limit its movement in the direction away from the screen.

10. A manually operated dry shaver construction comprising, a facing of circular formation, at least one curved screen mounted within said casing, at least one annular traction drive member mounted for rotation within said casing about an axis offset radially from the central axis of said casing with a portion of the periphery of said traction member extending beyond the outer periphery of said casing, a plurality of cutting blades mounted for rotation within said casing in operative relationship with said screen, and resiliently biased gear means between said annular traction drive member and said cutting blades whereby the rotation of said traction member by frictional contact with the surface to be shaved causes a multiplied rotation of said cutting blades.

ll. A dry shaver as claimed in claim l0 wherein said curved screen is mounted to mask a portion of the outer periphery of said casing and is centrally divided and said traction member is disposed between said screen portions.

l2. A dry shaving razor construction comprising a circular casing, a centrally divided curved screen mounted on said casing to mask a portion of the outer periphery, an annular traction drive member mounted within said casing for rotation about an aXis offset from the central axis of said casing with a portion of said traction member extending beyond the outer periphery of said casing between said screen portions, a pair of circular cutting elements mounted for rotation Within said casing in resilient contact with said screen portions and gear means between said cutting elements and said traction member whereby rotation of the traction member by frictional contact with the surface to be shaved causes rotation of said cutting elements.

13. A dry shaving razor construction as claimed in claim l2 wherein the outer peripheral surface of said traction member is serrated and the inner surface is provided with internal gear teeth, said cutting elements being mounted on a common shaft, with said gear means comprising a pinion gear mounted on said shaft in meshed engagement with a second pinion gear in meshed engagewith said traction member internal teeth.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,120,239 Burgeson June 14, 1938 2,669,776 Bobkowicz Feb. 23, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 59,330 Norway Dec. 5, 1938 

